Interesting Article about Science Education

[elanorh]

This article is mostly about main-stream science education but I think it applies as much to homeschooled kids .... just recognize that 'teacher' isn't always in a public school classroom.

Anyway, I found it interesting. Intuitively, it makes sense to me. Thoughts, and thoughts on how as homeschoolers we can apply these concepts (or are applying them)?

http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...aching-science

[LauraLoo]

We are loosely following a classical education, and part of which is a 4 year rotation on science (Biology, Space & Earth Science, Chemistry, Physics.) The curriculum repeats twice, so we'll cover each topic at least 3 times if we stay on course. Each pass will cover the topic more in depth. We also do a local natural science homeschool class and are in our 2nd year of a 3 year rotation where the 4th through 6th year will also provide greater depth to the first three years.

FWIW - History is covered in the same manner - Ancients, Middle Ages, Early Modern, and Modern. We are covering prehistory in our Earth and Space science rotations.

So far, it's working for us.

[LilyGrace]

We do roughly the same as LauraLoo - we follow a three year rotation with projects, notebooking, and discussion along with lots of hands on experience. So far it's working well for us and we use information learned in biology to reinforce chemistry, for example.

I'm also thinking about getting this when we start our history rotation again: Milestones In Science. I think it will go along well with one of our supplement resources, The Story Of Science series. That way not only do we get to concentrate on one area at a time, but we also get the reinforcement by integrating science into history and how it shaped the world.

[jplain]

We're going to be using Nebel's Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding. His book for grades 3+ should be coming out sometime next year. It is important to know going in that it is not an open and go curriculum, but the author's philosophy covers pretty much everything mentioned in that article.

[Red Sonja]

We're using Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding also, for my DS' kindergarten science. I'm a bit torn because I like the book as a spine, but I also want to follow the classical rotation that LauraLoo described above.

[dotnetdiva]

We also are using Nebel's Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (BFSU). We just started and are doing our 3rd lesson this week. Catered to K-2, I love going over these important base foundations in science, and look forward to also using his 3-5 book coming out in the spring.

I love this book because it introduces the most basic scientific concepts, and builds up lessons upon these. You'll be learning Nature of Matter, Life Science, Physical Science and Earth & Space Science all in each year, and many lessons correspond closely to a lesson in another "thread".

Here's our first few lessons:
http://satorismiles.com/tag/bfsu/

Satori know says Science is her favorite subject, and I'm also pretty thrilled that I setup a dedicated "Science Corner".

Like a few of the previous posters mentioned, the classical education revisits science topics in a 4-year rotation as they do history, so I am also torn! I have my "classical science curriculum" all picked out if I go the classical route - R.E.A.L Science Odyssey.

I also have all the Story of Science books by Joy Hakim, also mentioned, but these are for ages 12+, so I will enjoy reading them and then in 6-8 years, my daughter will have them.
I wasn't going to purchase the entire article, but I think I get the gist and I think we'll be doing science as they suggest.

[Annapooh]

Learning so much in here. We just brought home my 2nd grader and 8th grader. Now I have so much to go look up!